Rich_S
HomeGrownToneBrewologist
I have a MIM Nashville Tele - CAR poly over an alder (I'm pretty sure) body. Maple neck with the upgraded Schaller-style tuners. Electronics aren't the problem - it's the unplugged sound I'm not happy with. It's just always seemed dead to me - it lacks "snap". I tried changing the original vintage style six-saddle bridge to a compensated 3-saddle Wilkinson, with no major difference. Yes, the guitar has been set up by a respected locel shop.
On the other hand, my Schecter PT also has a MIM maple neck and alder body, same tuners. It DOES have that certain "snap" the Fender is lacking. It too was setup by the same shop.
I've been thinking the problem lies with the MIM body. They are generally thought to be less consistent than the American series. So, I've started looking into replacing the body.
I figured I ought to try and find out what I do like before spending $$$ on a replacement body. So today at lunch time, I stopped by the shop to try various Teles. I told the salesman my problem. He said, "You know what's one of the nicecst Tele's in here? This one..." and handed me a Mexican-made CAR Muddy Waters Tele. I was skeptical - it had a rosewood board and brass bridge saddles - not a formula for bright and snappy in my book. I played a few chords and he was right - it sounded just like I want mine to sound.
We talked some more, and I told him about a MIJ 62 Custom I owned years ago, saying that was a good Tele in my book, but I sold it in favor of something else. He said, "Hey, we have a used one of them in stock." Nice axe (it should be for $750) - sunburst double bound with a rosewood board and steel threaded-style bridge saddles. Like the one I used to own, the neck was thin (meaning shallow front-to-back). "Bright" and "snappy" were not the words for this guitar. Yes, it seemed to emphasize the high end, but "thin" is a better description. Not as good as the Muddy.
Before I had to run, I tried another Tele, a plain American Standard. Maple neck, modern-style 6-saddle bridge. This one sounded dull and flat, with even less of that elusive "snap" than even my MIM.
I'm perplexed. I'm also not in a position to drop $650 on the Muddy. Furthermore, my guitar is a Nashville with the swimming pool route. I'd be really reluctant to buy the Muddy, then immedately route it out for a center Strat pickup and neck mini-hum. I'm starting to think that I just need to stick with what I've got, since it's been customized with the pickups and hardware I like. If I just play it plugged in, maybe I can ignore the problem.
I'm also reluctant to buy a different body for it, since I'm having trouble identifying what I do want; the guitars I've tried in an attempt to narrow it down have been all over the map, sometimes in unexpected directions.
Help! Discuss.
On the other hand, my Schecter PT also has a MIM maple neck and alder body, same tuners. It DOES have that certain "snap" the Fender is lacking. It too was setup by the same shop.
I've been thinking the problem lies with the MIM body. They are generally thought to be less consistent than the American series. So, I've started looking into replacing the body.
I figured I ought to try and find out what I do like before spending $$$ on a replacement body. So today at lunch time, I stopped by the shop to try various Teles. I told the salesman my problem. He said, "You know what's one of the nicecst Tele's in here? This one..." and handed me a Mexican-made CAR Muddy Waters Tele. I was skeptical - it had a rosewood board and brass bridge saddles - not a formula for bright and snappy in my book. I played a few chords and he was right - it sounded just like I want mine to sound.
We talked some more, and I told him about a MIJ 62 Custom I owned years ago, saying that was a good Tele in my book, but I sold it in favor of something else. He said, "Hey, we have a used one of them in stock." Nice axe (it should be for $750) - sunburst double bound with a rosewood board and steel threaded-style bridge saddles. Like the one I used to own, the neck was thin (meaning shallow front-to-back). "Bright" and "snappy" were not the words for this guitar. Yes, it seemed to emphasize the high end, but "thin" is a better description. Not as good as the Muddy.
Before I had to run, I tried another Tele, a plain American Standard. Maple neck, modern-style 6-saddle bridge. This one sounded dull and flat, with even less of that elusive "snap" than even my MIM.
I'm perplexed. I'm also not in a position to drop $650 on the Muddy. Furthermore, my guitar is a Nashville with the swimming pool route. I'd be really reluctant to buy the Muddy, then immedately route it out for a center Strat pickup and neck mini-hum. I'm starting to think that I just need to stick with what I've got, since it's been customized with the pickups and hardware I like. If I just play it plugged in, maybe I can ignore the problem.
I'm also reluctant to buy a different body for it, since I'm having trouble identifying what I do want; the guitars I've tried in an attempt to narrow it down have been all over the map, sometimes in unexpected directions.
Help! Discuss.
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